The National Sports Medicine Foundation (NSMF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, charitable organization. We rely on philanthropic contributions, competitively awarded grants, and corporate partners to support our research, advanced education programs, and community support programs.
Thank you for your interest in helping us meet the needs of our community.
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Give Choose
Give Choose is a 24-hour day of giving organized by the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties to benefit local charities serving our community.
Each year we choose a campaign to raise awareness and funds, this year we chose Sudden Cardiac Death.
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in athletics is the highest concern for sports medicine organizations when providing medical coverage at local athletic events. One crucial element in the management of SCD is the availability and use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to improve response times and survival outcomes. We have been working in conjunction with our community emergency response organizations in our Emergency Action Plans at local events but have not possessed an AED on the sideline in the past.
Our Give Choose fundraising in 2024 is focused on raising funds to acquire an AED in the event that an athlete experiences SCD on the field of play. Here is additional information on the role of AEDs in the context of sudden cardiac death in athletics:
- Purpose: AEDs are portable devices designed to provide an electric shock to the heart in cases of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). They can analyze the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, deliver a controlled electric shock to restore a normal rhythm.
- Accessibility: AEDs should be readily accessible at sports venues, particularly where organized athletics take place. Having AEDs available for our trained personnel increases the chances of a rapid response in the event of an emergency.
- Chain of Survival: AED deployment is part of the “Chain of Survival” in cardiac emergencies, which includes early recognition and activation of emergency services, early CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), rapid defibrillation with an AED, and advanced medical care.
- Integration with Emergency Response Plans: AED deployment should be integrated into the overall emergency response plan for sports events. This includes communication systems, designated responders, and coordination with local emergency medical services.
In conclusion, the acquisition of an AED is not just a necessity for our sports medicine organization; it’s a critical investment in the safety and well-being of our local athletes. Your support can make a significant impact on our ability to respond swiftly and effectively to sudden cardiac arrest on the field. Join us in this life-saving mission by donating today. Together, we can ensure the health and safety of our community’s athletes. Thank you for being a vital part of this endeavor.
Donor Impact
Research
The NSMF seeks gifts of all amounts to fund research projects that test the validity of promising new ideas put forward by The National Sports Medicine Institute orthopaedists, physical therapist, athletic trainers, and sports science specialist – ideas that could potentially result in dramatic breakthroughs in human performance, Orthopaedics and sports medicine treatment.
Cutting-edge research of the type conducted by NSMF requires the use of sophisticated scientific instruments and equipment that are exceptionally expensive to purchase or lease.
NSMF seeks gifts that can be used to acquire new research instruments or equipment or to outfit a new or renovated treatment and training spaces.
Education
NSMF’s Athletic Training Residency Program has established itself to be an advanced athletic training program in Orthopaedics and Sports medicine.
NSMF athletic training residents are carefully selected certified athletic trainers who have completed their undergraduate or graduate programs in Athletic Training and spend one year in Northern Virginia working closely with The National Sports Medicine Institute orthopedists’, nurse practitioners, athletic trainers’, and physical therapists seeing patients in the orthopedic and sports medicine clinic, assisting in surgery, performing research projects, and covering team sporting events for local semi-professional sports teams, athlete development academies, and local high schools.
Each year, 1 – 2 athletic trainers are selected as NSMF Residents from a large pool of highly qualified candidates. Following their one-year residency, many residents move on to work at highly respected Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine clinics and hospitals, continuing to advance the representation of athletic trainers in physician practices.
Residents receive a competitive annual stipend from NSMF to cover living expenses while in Northern Virginia. The NSMF seeks gifts each year to offset the cost of the stipends provided to each resident.
Community
The providers at the National Sports Medicine Institute are team physicians for many High Schools and sports leagues in Loudoun County. We participate in numerous sports medicine community service activities such as pre-participation physicals and medical coverage for a variety of sporting events. Through our community activities, we can truly practice what we love to do.
Every year, the National Sports Medicine Foundation supports over 700 local high school and youth athletes by sponsoring and volunteering assistance with annual preparticipation sports physicals in Loudoun and Fairfax County. The purpose of these physicals is to help maintain the help and safety of our athletes and promote safe participation is sport. The money raised at these events helps to support each school’s athletic boosters club and provided much needed supplies for the athletes, coaches, and athletic trainers. Your contribution towards our Foundation allows us to provide free preparticipation sports physicals to low-income athletes and families to promote their participation in athletics. We can provide local athletic trainers and teams with protective braces and supplies for injured athletes at no cost.
Additionally, your donation provides us the support that we need to operate a “Black and Blue” clinic after games and tournaments in which we provide Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine evaluation and treatment services to injured athletes who may or may not have access to regular healthcare services. Our priority is to maintain the health and safety of our athletes, we strive to get them the help that they need right off the field without delay.
Sports medicine is an ever-changing practice with evolution of best practices and newer treatment methods. Our comprehensive Annual Sports Medicine Conference provides in-depth, multi-disciplinary approach to address and enhance sports medicine healthcare providers with current information regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of injuries in the athletic population. This includes learning labs available for practice, refinement, and continued education. We rely on philanthropic contributions and corporate partners to support our Annual Sports Medicine Conference and provide the necessary continuing education to our community healthcare providers.